open pit mininghttp://desmogblog.com/taxonomy/term/10948/all
enHeavy is the Head That Wears the Crown: Tar Sands Expansion May Violate Crown's Legal Obligation to First Nationshttp://desmogblog.com/2012/11/09/federal-review-panel-refuses-consider-first-nations-constitutional-rights-shell-jackpine-hearing-violates-duty
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/tar%20sands.jpeg?itok=A0J5p4aM" width="200" height="133" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Today the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (<span class="caps">ACFN</span>) will argue in the Alberta Court of Appeal that <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/01/first-nation-challenge-shell-canada-s-jackpine-mine-expansion-citing-constitutional-treaty-rights">Shell Canada’s proposed Jackpine Mine expansion </a>is in violation of their Constitutional rights and represents a failure on behalf of the federal government to uphold their legal duty to consult (<span class="caps">DTC</span>). The First Nation, which originally made this argument in a joint federal/provincial hearing on October 1, was told<a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/"> the panel did not have jurisdiction to hear constitutional questions</a>.</p>
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When the <span class="caps">ACFN</span> applied for an adjournment, in that case,<a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/"> their request was denied</a>. In response the First Nation is <a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/">claiming</a> they have “no other option but to file legal arguments for the protection of their constitutionally protected rights through the Alberta Court of Appeal.” </div>
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The government’s refusal to consider the <span class="caps">ACFN</span>’s best defense against the megaproject, which will increase Shell’s tar sands bitumen mining capacity in this one project alone by <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/01/first-nation-challenge-shell-canada-s-jackpine-mine-expansion-citing-constitutional-treaty-rights">100,000 barrels per day</a>, appears out of step with the federal government’s own admission that they must <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html">accommodate the rights of First Nations</a> when considering industrial projects that entail irreversible impacts.</div>
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First Nations rights, especially as defined in the 1982 Constitution and subsequent court decisions, <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html">must be accommodated</a>, according to an<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/112602747/Accommodation-First-Nations-on-projects"> internal federal discussion paper</a>, released to Greenpeace Canada’s climate and energy campaigner Keith Stewart through access to information legislation.</div>
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“Accommodation can vary from: adjusting an activity or process to abandoning a project, to placing terms and conditions on any permits or authorizations,” said the paper, which was <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html">presented in a December 2011 meeting in Calgary with the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association</a>, an oil and gas industry lobby group.</div>
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In addition <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html">the government acknowledged “the duty to consult</a> and accommodate (<span class="caps">DTC</span>) is part of a process of fair dealing and reconciliation which flows from…the Constitution Act, 1982, and the Crown’s duty to deal honourably with Aboriginal peoples.”</div>
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According to <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/112602747/Accommodation-First-Nations-on-projects">the document</a> “the <span class="caps">DTC</span> is designed to prevent irreversible harm to aboriginal interests prior to negotiated settlements and to manage ongoing relationships with treaty groups in a way that upholds the honour of the Crown.”</div>
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In consideration of the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/01/first-nation-challenge-shell-canada-s-jackpine-mine-expansion-citing-constitutional-treaty-rights">Jackpine Mine expansion</a>, the federal government failed to adequately consult the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation or to consider the irreversible impacts that might result from the enormity of the project. The loss of territory, violation of a watershed, or destruction of animal habitat can each be considered a violation of constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights if the land, water or species are considered culturally significant or essential to the traditional practices of the tribe.</div>
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But when the <span class="caps">ACFN</span> brought these concerns to the hearing, they were told such matters were <a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/">beyond the jurisdiction of the panel</a>. </div>
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“We must take our case to the Alberta Court of Appeal,” <a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/">stated Chief Allan Adam</a>. “The impacts of this project will have on our lands and rights is not fully understood or adequately addressed by the Crown. At this point we have exhausted all avenues to have the adequacy of Crown consultation addressed by the Panel and we have been left with no other choice but to take this to the courts.”</div>
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The <span class="caps">AFCN</span> is concerned “irreparable harm” may occur if the hearing proceeds without considering the constitutional questions. </div>
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“The government has made it incredibly difficult for us to access avenues to adequately protect our lands and rights,” <a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/for-immediate-release-energy-and-resource-conservation-board-denies-first-nations-motion-for-adjournment-of-oil-sands-hearing-first-nation-files-with-alberta-court-of-appeals/">said Adam</a>. “We are very concerned that Alberta has delegated consultation to the proponent Shell and we want the adequacy of Crown consultation assessed.”</div>
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<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html">Greenpeace Canada’s Keith Stewart says </a>the newly-released internal document demonstrates the seriousness of the Crown’s legal obligation to First Nations. Projects like the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline could be rejected by the federal government on the basis that more than 100 First Nations cite concerns ‘irreparable’ damage <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/crucial-pipelines-jeopardized-by-failure-to-consult-first-nations-prentice-warns/article4572255/">may violate their rights</a>.</div>
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Referring to sweeping <a href="https://acfnchallenge.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/for-immediate-release-first-nation-concerned-bill-c-45-allows-tar-sands-industry-to-destroy-vital-waterways-and-treaty-rights/">changes made to environmental assessment and review legislation</a> in the Omnibus budget Bill C-38,<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Aboriginal+rights+could+require+pipeline+industry+change+abandon+projects/7520398/story.html"> Stewart commented</a>, “this government can rewrite environmental laws but it can’t rewrite the constitution.”</div>
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The <span class="caps">ACFN</span> will make their appeal in an Edmonton court today, while a September 2011 claim the First Nation made against Shell for failures to uphold agreements in 2003 and 2006 remains in legal limbo, with no date set for hearings. In this 2011 case the <span class="caps">ACFN</span> argues Shell did not adequately mitigate the impacts of pre-existing projects. </div>
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The First Nation hopes today’s appeal will result in an independent review of the Crown’s consultation. </div>
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<em>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/6880115375/in/set-72157629270319399/">Kris Krug</a></em></div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1268">shell</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7242">Shell Canada</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10696">Jackpine Mine</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4389">Enbridge</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5534">Northern Gateway Pipeline</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7519">Canadian Energy Pipeline Association</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4434">oil and gas lobby</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10953">Omnibus Budget Bill C-38</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10366">Jackpine Mine Expansion</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10769">Keith Stewart</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5435">Greenpeace Canada</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10923">access to information</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10939">Constitutionally Protected Rights</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6977">Aboriginal Rights</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10940">Constitution 1982</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10941">Constitution Act</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10354">Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10364">ACFN</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10942">Joint Review Panel</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10943">Jackpine Mine Hearing</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10944">internal documents</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9104">Federal government</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8119">Harper Government</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2323">canadian government</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10945">Duty to Consult</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10946">Accommodate</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10947">irreversible harm</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10948">open pit mining</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/oil-sands">oil sands</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10949">Alberta Court of Appeal</a></div></div></div>Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:01:00 +0000Carol Linnitt6646 at http://desmogblog.com